DaniDraws.com

Paint, Paper, and Pencils

Dani — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:45:49 PDT

Over the past several months, I have shared my painting process on my Ustream channel, and have received a lot of questions about my art supplies. Here is a comprehensive list of the traditional painting materials that I have used thus far, if you are interested in trying them out for yourself.

You can watch me paint and draw live every weekday. Please view the Dani Draws Live info page to stay up-to-date with the show schedule. To see examples of the work I’ve made with these materials, visit danijones.com/doodles.

Note: All product links are directed to Dick Blick Art Materials, my favorite online art store. Purchasing products through these links will help support this site.

Watercolor

Watercolor is quick and easy to color with, and is the medium that I have used most for painting my doodles. Watercolor is transparent and activated by water. Because of this, you can layer colors on top of each other to blend them. The transparency of watercolor can be difficult to work with because you have to plan out all your “whites” ahead of time. You can’t fix mistakes by painting over them, and you can’t make a color lighter once you’ve put it down (although sometimes you can wash color away with a wet brush, but it will probably still leave a stain on the paper).

Winsor & Newton Sketcher’s Pocket Box Set - Because I usually only make small sketches on the show, I find it easier to use a small portable tray of pan watercolors.

Winsor & Newton Artists’ Watercolors - For larger paintings, I like to use tube watercolors because it is difficult to cover large areas with a small pan set. The pigments in tube watercolors are generally stronger also. To use them, I squeeze the entire tube onto a large pallet.

Niji Waterbrush - This is a special kind of brush pen that holds a barrel of water in its handle. It is great for quick, portable sketching with watercolor. Just squeeze it to release the water. It is also refillable and comes in a variety of sizes.

Gouache

Gouache is a type of watercolor, except it is opaque. So, like watercolor, you can activate it with water, even after the paint is dry. It can be tricky to work with color-wise, but fun once you get the hang of it. Color dries quickly, with a very flat, matte finish. Because of this, it scans very well and is generally a favorite among illustrators. It is also very versatile - you can dilute it to create watercolor-like washes, or use it very thickly and drybrush some texture. This is my personal favorite painting medium.

Winsor & Newton Designer’s Gouache - Gouache comes in tubes. You can use the straight paint, but that is generally too thick for me. I usually keep my gouache paint by squeezing the entire tube into a film canister, then watering it down slightly. I keep the canisters sealed in a tupperware container when not in use. The paint will thicken up and even dry solid over time, but in most cases you can add some water to bring it back to working condition.

Oil

Oil paint is not water-soluble, meaning you can’t mix the paint with water or wash your brushes with water. It requires a different solution like turpentine, which makes working with oils very smelly. Oil-based paint also dries VERY slowly. A painting can take several weeks, or even months, to dry completely. This makes it ideal for blending and rendering. It is a favorite for many many artists. It can be used very thinly or literally piled on to create lots of texture.

M. Graham Oils - Oil paint comes in tubes. Squeeze the paint directly onto your palette.

Weber Turpenoid Natural - To clean oils, you need a solvent like turpentine or mineral spirits. These have very strong odors and can be harmful, which is why I mostly use Turpenoid, a less smelly alternative. It is more expensive, and the actual “feel” of turpenoid is different than a regular solvent if that is an issue for you, but it has worked out well for me. Pour your cleaner/solvent into a glass jar, with an agitator like a wire scrubber at the bottom, to rub your brushes against while cleaning.

Brushes

I generally use the same type of brushes across all the different media I use. Watercolor and gouache can be used interchangeably; oil brushes you must keep separate because it is not a water medium, and so requires different cleaning methods. If you use acrylics, I would keep these separate from your gouache and watercolor brushes also because the dried paint will wear down the brush faster. I am generally not picky about brands, but I do recommend you get as good a quality brush as you can.

Synthetic Sable Brushes - These are the type of brushes I use most often. Rounds are good for detail work. I keep about 2-3 different sizes of these on hand. I also like to have a flat around for larger washes.

Bristle Brushes - I only use these for larger oil paintings. They are better for holding lots of paint and pushing stuff around on a canvas.

Ink

I don’t use ink a lot in my illustration work, but I am enjoying experimenting with it more and more.

#102 Crow Quill - These are the brown-handled pen and nibs that are pretty common in art stores. It is very versatile for different line widths, from very very thin to very thick. It is a dip pen, so must have a bottle of ink to use with it.

Staedtler Pigment Liners and Micron Pens - These are easier to control than a dip pen, but you will only get a uniform line width. I like to use them for details and straight lines.

Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens - I use the one with the brush tip. It contains india ink. Also great for varying line widths, and more handy than a regular dip brush.

Speedball Calligraphy Inks - This is the ink I use. It is a calligraphy ink. Since I am still a bit amateurish when it comes to ink work, I’m not really sure about the quality vs. other inks, but it is waterproof, dries fast, and came in a nice, handy set with my crowquill pen.

Pencils

Sanford Turquoise Lead Holder - Instead of using a normal pencil, I usually use a drafter’s tool called a lead holder. It contains a piece of lead 2 mm wide, which you sharpen with a special lead pointer. I like using these because it is kinda like using a mechanical pencil, but more versatile like a normal pencil. And it is easier to sharpen because you don’t have to worry about breaking any wood.

Sanford Turquoise Leads - You can buy more leads if you need a refill or want a different softness. When you buy them in a store, they will typically come with HB leads. I like 3B or 6B leads personally.

Rotary Lead Pointer - This is the sharpener you need for your lead.

Prismacolor Col-Erase Pencils - Sometimes I like to make my preliminary drawings with a colored pencil, then draw over them with a regular pencil or ink. The best pencils to use are Col-Erase, named so because they are easier to erase than normal colored pencils. I use either scarlet red or non-photo blue. I also tend to use Ticonderoga “checking” pencils - pencils that teachers use to check papers with - because they are cheap and easy to find in an office supply store.

Paper

Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Board - Bristol is a type of heavyweight paper. It can hold a variety of different media and it is generally the paper I use most often. It comes in two varieties. They each have their unique qualities and advantages, but I will often use them interchangeably:

Smooth bristol has minimal texture and is best for inks and markers.

Vellum bristol has a very subtle texture, more like a normal paper or illustration board surface. It is good for dry media like pencil or charcoal because of its tooth.

Canson Watercolor Paper - Watercolor paper generally has a lot of texture and of course, holds watercolor very well. I have also used it for other media such as gouache and oil.

Related posts:

Artists and the Web

Dani — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:17:30 PDT

I recently made a guest appearance on a podcast by fellow artist Chris Oatley. Chris’s work includes freelance illustration, comics, and visual development for the animation industry. His podcast is called Chris Oatley’s ArtCast, and can be found on the web at ChrisOatley.com or on iTunes. I highly recommend you take a listen.

Chris contacted me a while back and we have been having an on-again off-again conversation about artists and the web ever since. Both of us share a philosophy of teaching, learning, and sharing, and want to encourage the same throughout the artist community.

I admire Chris and the work he has done so far. He has a blog where he shares his work and art in-progress, he is open and honest while talking about art in his podcast, and he also creates video tutorials where he teaches digital painting tips. He is absolutely dedicated to creating and sharing, and I can’t help seeing a kindred spirit in him.

In the episode of his podcast, we are joined by animator and motion graphics designer Paul Caggegi of The Process Diary, and we discuss the ever-growing importance of the web in the lives of artists everywhere in the hope that we encourage other artists to get started with their own web presence and creations.

Me and the Internet

If you are familiar with my work and websites, you probably already know that I am a big advocate of the web. It started with a portfolio site and a small sketch blog, and later launched this website, DaniDraws.com, plus a smattering of other small projects and sites. These include a Ustream show, and active Twitter stream, and a Daily Doodles blog. All are helping me in my greater goal of making a living as a freelance illustrator in ways that I never would have predicted when I started out. It has been rewarding, and as I continue to experiment, I am excited to see where it will lead.

The World of the Web

The way I see it, the world of art and illustration has already made its move onto the web. If you are an artist, especially a new or up-and-coming artist, you MUST have a website. I would even go so far as to say that it is also necessary to have a blog.

However, I would consider this the BARE MINIMUM of what you should be doing on the internet to help promote yourself as an artist. A website and a blog will put you on even terms with your competition; now, it’s time to think of ways to move past them.

That’s where all this Web 2.0, social networking, and multimedia stuff comes in. New tools and resources are being created each day, and it would be a shame not to take advantage of that. I feel that the ones who best utilize these tools will be the ones who come out on top. Be INNOVATIVE, CREATE, and PRODUCE - this is what artists are supposed to be good at!

Find your strength.

You don’t have to do everything on the internet; you just have to find the best thing. You can start a webcomic, create a podcast, design t-shirts, or set up an Etsy shop. The list is really quite endless. Find something you will enjoy and stick to it.

Why did I start this blog? Because I express myself most clearly by writing and am able to create long tutorials and articles like this one, while also having fun doing it. I also love Photoshop, which is why I enjoy making the digital painting videos so much. I have a lot to share, and this blog provides the perfect way for me to share it. We all have our strengths. How will you use yours to help complement your artistic abilities?

Create something that matters.

Now, don’t go and set up a web shop and a Twitter account and expect the visitors and money to start rolling in. No matter how many blogs you make, social networks you join, or artists you meet, you will not get anyone to buy your products, commission your services, or visit your website if you don’t give them something of value in return.

Lots of artists have blogs. Lots of artists write tutorials and make videos. What makes my site so different? I consciously try to create something that is worth your time and effort to come here and read each blog post. I am shooting to create tutorials that will be in the top 10% of the stuff you run across on the internet each day.

This isn’t easy and takes a lot of work. That is why I said you really have to “find your strength” - you have to love what you do and be genuinely interested in sharing that with other people. Your viewers/readers/listeners will recognize that kind of dedication, which will keep them coming back for more and might even influence them to put down money for what you do. Give them something of value, and they will give back.

Why?

Why bother with all of this? Why make blogs or podcasts or Ustream shows at all? You just want to make pretty pictures, right?

If you concentrate on the right projects, they will help your greater goals through inspiration, motivation, and education. I create more artwork, meet more artists, and learn new skills more quickly all because of my “extra” activities.

As artists, we should be concentrating on CREATING. My web projects help me do that. I have found that if I can continue creating and producing, the monetizing and networking fall into place on their own.

You can’t sell artwork without an audience, you can’t interact with other artists if you don’t participate in the community. If I have learned anything over the past few years, it’s that the web is the perfect place to gain those kinds of relationships. Nowhere else is so much information so readily available and easy to access.

Everything is still kinda new, and we don’t know where the road will lead. Very few people, if any, have found the “right” solution yet. That’s why I am trying so hard to encourage YOU to participate. The best strategies have yet to be discovered, so go out and discover them.

Little Red Riding Hood Auction

Dani — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:41:08 PDT

The original art from my recent Ustream drawing jam with writer and artist Otis Frampton is now up for sale on eBay.

On May 27 and June 3, Otis and I each drew our own version of the story Little Red Riding Hood, and then colored each other’s drawings. You can view the process for these illustrations here: Part 1 | Part 2

Both pieces are 8.5″x11″ and were drawn and inked on smooth bristol board. I colored Otis’ drawing with watercolor; he finished mine with marker and colored pencil.

The auction will run for three days, so bid fast.

Click here to bid.

Related posts:

You’re Invited: Special Ustream Broadcast Event

You’re Invited: Special Ustream Broadcast Event

Dani — Tue, 26 May 2009 09:41:35 PDT

UPDATE #2: Thanks again to everyone who came by for part 2 of our joint broadcast. If you missed the second show, you can view it here:
http://www.danijones.com/ustream/littlered2.html

UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who showed up for part 1 of the Ustream drawing jam. The next show will occur Wednesday June 3 at 9 PM ET. Hope to see you there! If you missed the first show, you can view it here:
http://www.danijones.com/ustream/littlered1.html

–

On Wednesday May 27 at 9 PM ET, I will be holding a joint Ustream broadcast with writer/artist Otis Frampton. The show will feature a live drawing jam where each artist will draw something based on a pre-selected theme. This will be part 1 of 2; the second part will be held next week, where we will color each other’s drawings.

This is sure to be a fun and unique event. Please come, watch, and chat.

For the event, Otis and I will each be broadcasting from our respective shows. You must have each show open in order to see both sides of the jam.

Because of this, I created a special page where you can watch and chat with each show simultaneously: http://www.danijones.com/ustream

However, if for any reason you have trouble viewing here, you can also open each individual show page on Ustream.

Otis Frampton Live: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/Otis-Frampton-Live

Dani Draws: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/dani-draws

Hope to see you there!

More info about Dani Draws Live: http://danidraws.com/dani-draws-live/

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How to Make Your Portfolio iPhone-Compatible

Dani — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:02:08 PDT

When speaking about artists’ websites, an art director recently made a comment that caught my attention - he is annoyed when he can’t view them on his iPhone.

The comment was half-joke, half-serious, but it brought up an important point. You never know what potential clients are out there, and what they are using to view your work.

And so I went home and made an iPhone version of my web portfolio.

Why make an iPhone website? Is it necessary?

No, I don’t think every artist should go and make an iPhone portfolio right this minute. Quite frankly, I don’t expect a lot of visitors to my mobile site. However, I DO think artists should keep these ideas in mind. The use of iPhones and other mobile phones is on the rise, and artists should always be thinking of ways to make it easier for clients to access their work. At the very least, avoid flash and multi-media rich websites that don’t work on mobile platforms.

It was a fun experiment and it didn’t take long to create at all. I know it will make at least one art director happy, so that alone is worth it.

So if you have the know-how and a little bit of time, I say it’s worth the extra bit of effort. It might not matter to most of your clients - but it might mean the world to the few who happen to be on an iPhone.

Here is an in-depth review of how I put the site together.

Setup

Get a Subdomain

You need a place to house the mobile version of your site. The easiest way to do this is to set up a subdomain like iphone.example.com or example.com/mobile or m.example.com. Use something catchy and easy to remember. Don’t use anything too long that would be hard to type on tiny phone keyboards. My site’s address is danijones.com/mobile.

Designing the Page

Move Things Around

On a standard computer, most displays are horizontally oriented. So, most of the time it is best to organize your website content in several columns. On my standard website, for example, I have my thumbnails on one side of the page, and the main image on the other.

On an iPhone however, the display is vertical most of the time. Sure, you could turn the phone around so it is horizontal, but the screen is so small that the usual multiple-column way of navigating becomes a hassle.

For my mobile portfolio, I have organized all my content into one-column pages. The portfolio images are stacked one after the other so they are easy to see and scroll through.

Resizing

Now, if you simply place all of your text and images on a page, it’s a lot easier to navigate, but it’s still not ideal. Text still looks really small and the page is too zoomed out.

To fix this, it is best to define the width of all your content. If you are familiar with basic html, you can use tables. If you like CSS, you can use div tags. The resolution of an iPhone screen is 320×480, so I set the width of all my content at 300 px.

Then I changed the size of all my portfolio images to a uniform width to make them as large as possible on the screen.

Zoom

Now, your page is easy to navigate, but if you view the page on an iPhone, it will look like a big page with a skinny column going down the center. To fix this, you have to insert some code into the page header that will tell the browser to automatically zoom into the main content when viewing from an iPhone.

The iPhone reads a specific meta tag called “viewport” to do this. This is what the code looks like:

Insert this anywhere between your tags in the html code, and the iPhone browser will automatically zoom in to a viewing window of 320 pixels wide.

Content

Contact Information

As always, make sure you make your contact info easy to find. On an iPhone, there are also a few other considerations:

If you list an email address, make sure you hotlink it using a “mailto” link. That way, the user can start composing an email right on the phone.
Also, if you type out a phone number, use the standard format - e.g. 1 (234) 456-7890. The iPhone will automatically detect the number and create a link. Users can just click the number to call you. Cool, huh?

Multimedia

Make sure all your graphics are optimized for the web and not too hefty. You want the website to load fast, especially if your iPhone visitors are on a slower cellular network.
If you include any type of video, use formats that are compatible on the iPhone. Basically, this means either Quicktime or YouTube.
Flash is not supported on the iPhone, so don’t use it. In fact, I would rather artists not use Flash EVER for websites, but I digress…

Extra Features

Create a Webclip Icon

There is a feature on the iPhone that will allow users to bookmark websites right onto the iPhone homepage, like an app. Normally, the icon for this bookmark is just a screenshot of the site, but you can go the extra step and make your own icon.

Create a png image that is 57×57 pixels in size. Note that you don’t need to add any special effects to make it look “button-like” because the iPhone will do that for you automatically.
Name that image apple-touch-icon.png.
Upload the image to the root folder of your site.

That’s it! The iPhone will automatically detect the image and use it as the webclip icon.

Redirect Your iPhone Visitors

Remember to include a link to your mobile site on your standard website, and vice versa, so your visitors can switch back and forth according to their needs.

It is possible to simply redirect the iPhone browser to the mobile site using code. There are several Javascript and PHP solutions out there. I happened to use a piece of code I found on this site: http://www.ebaspace.com/2008/08/04/iphone-seo/

Just insert the code into the header of your standard site, and the browser will redirect the user to the mobile site automatically.

I would use this solution with caution. As a rule in web design, it is generally not a good idea to “force” your users to do anything - e.g. resize windows, pop-up links, etc. Also, my standard website is slightly different than the mobile site and has more content, so I don’t want to trap my iPhone visitors on my mobile site.

There is probably a code solution out there, but I don’t know it. I came up with a simple workaround though:

I duplicated my main page - index.html - and named it “home.html”. On the home.html page, I deleted the iPhone redirect script. I then changed all the site links that are meant to point to the opening page (index.html) and directed them to the home.html file. The result - iPhone visitors who visit “danijones.com” are automatically taken to the mobile site, yet I can still link back to the full site and the visitor won’t accidentally get redirected again.

That’s it! If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, go ahead and navigate to danijones.com to see the working site.

Please leave any questions or comments if you have any. Have fun!

Related posts:

Ustream Update: Free Giveaways and Sketch Discounts

Dani — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 03:00:07 PDT

Show and Schedule

I have now established a schedule of broadcasting EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING AT 10 AM EST. Each show lasts about an hour. Come, watch, hang out, and chat. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/dani-draws

The show includes a mix of both digital techniques in Photoshop and Illustrator, and traditional painting. These traditional sketches are a part of my Daily Doodle goal that I have mentioned previously. They are mostly pencil sketches and watercolor stuff.

I have two major announcements concerning this traditional work:

Free Doodle Giveaways

Once a week, I am going to give away one sketch that I produce on the show. All you have to do is show up and watch.

Rules and Guidelines

One sketch will be given away EVERY FRIDAY.
You need to be in the chat room to participate. This means you must be watching via the Ustream channel page, not on DaniDraws.com or other website where the feed is embedded. You will not need to register with Ustream.
At the end of the show, one user from the chat room will be randomly picked to receive a free sketch. User must be present to win, otherwise another name will be drawn.
Winners will be required to provide a real name, email address, and mailing address via private message at the end of the show. This info will not be used for anything other than the purpose of the contest.

Hope to see you there, and good luck!

Special Sketch Discounts

In case you are unaware, all of my traditional sketches are posted for sale on my main website, danijones.com. If you especially like any of the doodles I create on the show, you can purchase it there.

Now, to show my appreciation to those of you who make it to the live shows, I am going to start offering heavy discounts for these sketches.

Here’s the deal:

If you see me drawing a traditional drawing or sketch live on the show (the paint and pencil ones, not the digital stuff) and would like to buy it, you can take it then and there for only $12 (regular price is $20, so 40% OFF!). All you have to do is be the first to claim it. $3 is added for shipping ($7 for international orders).
Once you claim a sketch, you will be asked to private message your email address. Immediately after the show, I will send you an invoice for the total due.
Payment is done through PayPal to contact@danidraws.com. The total must be paid by the end of the day, otherwise the sketch will go back on sale to the public at full price.
This discount only applies if you claim the sketch during the live show in which it is created. Once the show ends, it will be put back at full price.
Discount will be limited to one sketch per show per person, although you are welcome to claim more sketches for full price.

Again, this applies to ANY traditional sketch I make on the show on any day of the week. (Although, this only applies to the small doodles. Larger or more detailed paintings are not included, or may have a higher price tag. I will let you know in the broadcast if this is the case.)

This is my THANK YOU to those of you who bother to show up for all these broadcasts. You have no idea how much your support means to me. Thanks!

Sample Sketches

Here are some examples of the traditional stuff I have been creating on the show. They were done using pencil, ink, watercolor, and gouache. Each sketch is about 4.5″x6″ in size.

Video

Some highlights from the past few weeks. Videos have been sped up and sound removed. You can view the original broadcasts on the Ustream channel page here (scroll to bottom of page to see the archived videos).

Related posts:

Painting a Spot Illustration, Part 2: Using Clipping Masks

Dani — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:00:10 PDT

This is the second part in a series of tutorials. You can read part one here.

When creating a spot illustration, I often create the overall vignette shape first, before I add any other colors or details. To do this, I make a clipping mask layer.

Also check out one of my older posts, Using Masks to Create a Spot Illustration, which reviews some similar methods and ideas I will use here.

Creating a Clipping Mask Layer

You need to create a layer that contains the overall shape, texture, and opacity of the illustration. A different method may work better for different images. You can paint on a layer directly, draw a geometric shape, or use the selection tools. For this illustration where I’m starting with a specific sketch, this is the easiest way I know how to do it:

First, I take my sketch layer (see part 1), duplicate it, and place it underneath the first sketch layer. Then, with the transparency locked, I fill it with a color.

I started by duplicating the sketch layer because I find it is easier this way to create an accurate vignette shape. To complete it, I unlock the transparency and fill in the rest of the shape. The sketch creates some messiness, but this will be fixed later.

Now, I make this layer a clipping mask layer. You do this by going to the layers palette and Opt+clicking in between the two layers. The layer on top ends up being masked by the layer below, meaning anything you draw on the top layer will only affect the opaque pixels on the mask layer.

Why Use a Clipping Mask?

Clipping masks are very handy if you want to retain certain shapes or textures, but want to be able to keep things like color and line drawings on separate layers. Now that I have created my basic shape, I can create new layers, color, and edit, and the overall vignette will be retained. And if I want to edit the shape at all, I need only to fix this one layer.

In this particular illustration’s case, you can see I clipped the sketch layer to the shape I just made. Now, if I paint or erase on this shape, it will appear to affect the sketch as well.

And if I add a new layer and clip it as well, I can paint my basic colors under my sketch and not worry about going outside the lines.

I can further edit my vignette shape at any time by painting or erasing on the clipping mask layer. For example, I can clean up the messy sketch marks…

…change the shape altogether…

…or bring it back again…

Some tips about clipping masks:

You can have more than one layer “linked” to the clipping mask layer. For example, separate layers for the line and the color.
The clipping mask layer can have varying opacities and textures. Any transparency will be retained. This is useful if you have a shape that is more subtle or sketchy.
You can unclip layers at any time just by Opt+clicking between the layers. Undoing the clipping mask will reveal everything you painted “outside the lines”. You can redo the clipping mask again just by Opt-clicking once more.

Now, I can finish my illustration and paint it like a normal painting using whatever method and however many layers I choose. But from here on out, I no longer have to worry about the overall shape, thanks to my clipping mask.

Related posts:

Painting a Spot Illustration, Part 1: The Line Drawing

Dani — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:24:16 PDT

I created this illustration in a uStream broadcast earlier this month. You can view the archived video here.

I will be creating a series of posts explaining the making of this illustration in-depth. For part 1, here is how I prepared my line drawing for painting in Photoshop.

FYI, I’ve reviewed some techniques about preparing line drawings in a former post here. Many of those techniques will be used again.

About the Sketch

I used a simple ballpoint pen drawing for this painting. Because my style is more painterly, the quality of my sketches can vary from simple and clean, to very very rough. This type of sketch is about as refined as I get. I placed the sketch on its own layer in a new Photoshop document.

Preparing the Line Drawing

Adjust the levels (Image > Adjustments > Levels) to up the contrast between the black pen and white paper. This sketch in particular didn’t take a lot of adjustment because the pen was already pretty bold.
Select the sketch layer and copy it.
Go to the Channels palette (Window > Channels). Create a new channel by clicking the button at the bottom. This results in a solid black channel with the default name “Alpha 1″. Paste the sketch here.
Go back to the Layers palette and click on the sketch layer to select it. Now go to Select > Load Selection. In the channel drop-down menu, select Alpha 1 (the channel you just created) and click OK.
All of the whites on your sketch layer should now be selected. Push Delete. Deselect the selection. Your layer is now just black line and transparency.
After doing this, the line drawing tends to look too light. To fix this, lock the transparency of the layer and fill it with black.

Or you could use any other color for that matter.

In fact, if you keep the transparency locked, you can paint and color on the line at your leisure, which is the main reason I like this technique.

Now, of course there are other ways to get rid of the “whites” in a line drawing. You could set the layer to Multiply, for example. However, this is the best method to use if you plan to experiment a lot with the color of the line drawing.

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Dani Draws Live uStream Update

Dani — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:52:52 PST

Earlier this month, I officially announced my new uStream channel, which allows for me to broadcast LIVE while I am painting and drawing.

Since these videos are live, viewers can make comments (via chat) as I am working and I can respond to them. This past week, I have also started doing audio commentary for the first time.

I am going to try broadcasting daily at 10 AM EST. Each session lasts about an hour, during which you are welcome to come and go as you please. Should I add or cancel any sessions, I will also keep a schedule posted on this page: http://danidraws.com/dani-draws-live/.

Here are some videos of the sessions so far. I have edited and sped-up the videos here, but the full real-time archive is also available on the uStream channel page at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/dani-draws.

Come join in for the next broadcast to watch and chat. See you there!

Related posts:

Watch Me Draw LIVE!

danidraws1283 — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:06:25 PST

Free Videos by Ustream.TV

What is this video, you ask? This is my uStream channel. Here, you will be able to see me draw and paint LIVE!

Basically, this channel will contain the same kinds of stuff that I put in my podcast videos, but in real time. If you catch the broadcast live, you can post questions and comments in the chat window, and I will be able to respond to them.

Schedule

The next live painting will occur tomorrow, ~~February 12 at 10 AM EST~~. UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who joined the broadcast! I will do some more live drawing soon. Please visit the schedule for future dates.

I have no regular schedule yet, but I will post future show times on this page: http://danidraws.com/dani-draws-live/. You can also keep track of me on Twitter.

Each session will be recorded so they will be available for later viewing should you miss it.

A few uStream basics:

If the uStream logo on the video says “Pre-Recorded”, the stream is not live.
If you see my name logged into the chat window (”danidraws”), I am available to respond to questions/comments.
You can view and participate in the broadcasts here, or view my main uStream page at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/dani-draws.

Enjoy! Hope to see you there…

Related posts:

DaniDraws.com

Paint, Paper, and Pencils

Watercolor

Gouache

Oil

Brushes

Ink

Pencils

Paper

Artists and the Web

Me and the Internet

The World of the Web

Find your strength.

Create something that matters.

Why?

Links:

Little Red Riding Hood Auction

You’re Invited: Special Ustream Broadcast Event

How to Make Your Portfolio iPhone-Compatible

Why make an iPhone website? Is it necessary?

Setup

Designing the Page

Content

Extra Features

Ustream Update: Free Giveaways and Sketch Discounts

Show and Schedule

Free Doodle Giveaways

Special Sketch Discounts

Sample Sketches

Video

Painting a Spot Illustration, Part 2: Using Clipping Masks

Creating a Clipping Mask Layer

Why Use a Clipping Mask?

Some tips about clipping masks:

Painting a Spot Illustration, Part 1: The Line Drawing

About the Sketch

Preparing the Line Drawing

Dani Draws Live uStream Update

Watch Me Draw LIVE!